This Application is a 371 of PCT/EP99/03318 filed May 14, 1999.
The present invention relates to the use of spinosyns, in particular for treating the soil, for treating seed or plant propagation material, and for drenching and irrigating plants.
It is known that spinosyns can be used for controlling insects (WO 97/00 265, WO 93/09 126, WO 94/20 518, U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,634).
It has now been found that spinosyns have systemic properties and that application via the soil or via plant irrigation is possible. They may also be used for treating seed and plant propagation material.
The spinosyns are known compounds. The fermentation product described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,634 (A 83543) is composed of a variety of compounds termed Spinosyn A, B, C and the like (cf. WO 97/00 265, WO 93/09 126 and WO 94/20 518). The spinosyns may be represented by the following formulae (I) and (II):
and
There have also been disclosed semisynthetic spinosyns of the formula (Ia) 
(WO 97/00 265) in which
A and B each represent a single bond, a double bond or an epoxide unit,
R represents 
R1 represents hydrogen or methyl,
R2, R3 and R4 independently of one another represent C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenoalkyl, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl or protected hydroxyl,
R5 represents hydrogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkylamino or represents alkylhydroxylamino of the formula 
xe2x80x83in which
R10 and R11 independently of one another represent hydrogen, C1-C4-alkyl or C1-C5-alkylcarbonyl,
R6 represents hydrogen or methyl,
R7, R8 and R8xe2x80x2 independently of one another represent C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenoalkyl or C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, or represent protected amino, and
R9 represents methyl or ethyl.
The term xe2x80x9cspinosynxe2x80x9d as used herein encompasses the compounds disclosed in WO 97/00 265.
Individual spinosyns, but also mixtures of the abovementioned spinosyns of the formulae (I), (Ia) and (II) may be used according to the invention.
Mixtures comprising at least one spinosyn of the formula (I) or (II) are preferably used.
Mixtures comprising a mixture of spinosyn A and spinosyn D in which the ratio of spinosin A to spinosyn D is generally between approximately 80:20 and approximately 98:2, a value of approximately 85:15 being preferred, are preferably used. Spinosad (see, for example, DowElanco trade magazine Down to Earth, Vol. 52, No. 1, 1997 and the literature cited therein), which comprises essentially a mixture of spinosyn A and spinosyn D in a ratio of approximately 85:15, is especially preferably used.
In particular, the fermentation product A 83543, which comprises approximately 85 to 90% of spinosyn A, approximately 10 to 15% of spinosyn D and minor amounts of spinosyns B, C, E, F, G, H and J and which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,634, is used.
The acid addition salts described therein may also be used.
The following types of seed and plant propagation material are preferably treated according to the invention:
Maize, cereals (such as, for example, wheat, barley, oats, rye), rice, seed potatoes, cotton, oilseed rape, sunflower, beet (such as, for example, sugar beet), vegetable seed (such as, for example, onion, cabbage, tomato), (fodder) legumes, peanuts, soya, sorghum.
The following general treatment methods are preferably suitable for carrying out the seed treatment, or plant propagation material treatment, according to the invention:
dry treatments (preferably with addition of adhesion promoters such as, for example, liquid paraffin or talc), and, if appropriate, colorants,
slurry treatments (preferably with addition of wetters, dispersants, emulsifiers, adhesives, inert fillers and colorants),
aqueous liquid treatments (preferably with addition of emulsifiers, dispersants, thickeners, antifreeze agents, polymers, adhesives and colorants),
solvent-based liquid treatments (with addition of solvents and colorants), emulsion treatments (with addition of emulsifiers, solvents and colorants).
The total active compound content in the spinosyn treatment formulations preferably amounts to 10 to 80% by weight.
Preferably, 1 to 300 g of active compound are applied to every 100 kg of seed or plant propagation material in the form of a treatment.
The treatment method according to the invention is carried out in customary treatment apparatuses or drum mixers as are customary, for example, in the construction industry.
Seed (or plant propagation material) and seed treatment formulation (or treatment formulation for plant propagation material) are mixed intimately in a conventionally used treatment apparatus.
After the seed (or plant propagation material) has been treated, it is dried to a sufficient degree in the case of the wet treatments, and the resulting treated seed (or plant propagation material) is then packaged in portions.
When applying the seed or plant propagation material which has been treated according to the invention, 1 to 5000 kg of treated seed (or plant propagation material) are generally employed per hectare of area under cultivation, preferably 100 to 300 kg of seed (or plant propagation material) per hectare of area under cultivation.
Surprisingly, it has been found that the spinosyns have systemic properties and, when applied via the soil, are very effective against the animal pests mentioned further below.
It is advantageous to apply granules comprising the active compound(s) into or onto the soil. Examples of suitable applications are broadcast, band, furrow and planting-hole application. Broadcast application is to be understood as superficial application of the active compound over the entire area to be treated and subsequent mechanical incorporation into the soil.
The use in seed boxes in rice cultivation may be mentioned especially (nursery box treatment).
It is particularly advantageous to emulsify or dissolve the spinosyns or their salts in water and to use this for irrigating the plants.
Examples of suitable applications are spraying onto the soil, drenching, i.e. irrigating the plants with active-compound-containing solutions, and drip irrigation, and also use in hydroponic systems, in particular in the production of vegetables and ornamentals.
The spinosyns may also be applied via the stem, for example by means of stem injection.
The seed treatments according to the invention are suitable for controlling animal pests, preferably arthropods and nematodes, in particular insects and arachnids, which are found in agriculture and in forests. They are effective against normally-sensitive and resistant species and against all or individual developmental stages. The abovementioned pests include:
From the order of the Isopoda, for example, Oniscus asellus, Armadillidium vulgare, Porcellio scaber. 
From the order of the Diplopoda, for example, Blaniulus guttulatus. 
From the order of the Chilopoda, for example, Geophilus carpophagus, Scutigera spec.
From the order of the Symphyla, for example, Scutigerella immaculata. 
From the order of the Thysanura, for example, Lepisma saccharina. 
From the order of the Collembola, for example, Onychiurus armatus. 
From the order of the Orthoptera, for example, Blatta orientalis, Periplaneta americana, Leucophaea maderae, Blattella germanica, Acheta domesticus, Gryllotalpa spp., Locusta migratoria migratorioides, Melanoplus differentialis, Schistocerca gregaria. 
From the order of the Dermaptera, for example, Forficula auricularia. 
From the order of the Isoptera, for example, Reticulitermes spp.
From the order of the Anoplura, for example, Phylloxera vastatrix, Pemphigus spp., Pediculus humanus corporis, Haematopinus spp., Linognathus spp.
From the order of the Mallophaga, for example, Trichodectes spp., Damalinea spp.
From the order of the Thysanoptera, for example, Frankliniella occidentalis, Hercinothrips femoralis, Thrips palmi, Thrips tabaci. 
From the order of the Heteroptera, for example, Eurygaster spp., Dysdercus intermedius, Piesma quadrata, Cimex lectularius, Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma spp.
From the order of the Homoptera, for example, Aleurodes brassicae, Bemisia tabaci, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, Aphis gossypii, Brevicoryne brassicae, Cryptomyzus ribis, Aphis fabae, Doralis pomi, Eriosoma lanigerum, Hyalopterus arundinis, Macrosiphum avenae, Myzus spp., Phorodon humuli, Rhopalosiphum padi, Empoasca spp., Euscelis bilobatus, Nephotettix cincticeps, Lecanium corni, Saissetia oleae, Laodelphax striatellus, Nilaparvata lugens, Aonidiella aurantii, Aspidiotus hederae, Pseudococcus spp., Psylla spp.
From the order of the Lepidoptera, for example, Pectinophora gossypiella, Bupalus piniarius, Cheimatobia brumata, Lithocolletis blancardella, Hyponomeuta padella, Plutella maculipennis, Malacosoma neustria, Euproctis chrysorrhoea, Lymantria spp., Bucculatrix thurberiella, Phyllocnistis citrella, Agrotis spp., Euxoa spp., Feltia spp., Earias insulana, Heliothis spp., Spodoptera exigua, Mamestra brassicae, Panolis flammea, Prodenia litura, Spodoptera spp., Trichoplusia ni, Carpocapsa pomonella, Pieris spp., Chilo spp., Pyrausta nubilalis, Ephestia kuehniella, Galleria mellonella, Tineola bisselliella, Tinea pellionella, Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Cacoecia podana, Capua reticulana, Choristoneura fumiferana, Clysia ambiguella, Homona magnanima, Tortrix viridana, Cnaphalocerus spp.
From the order of the Coleoptera, for example, Anobium punctatum, Rhizopertha dominica, Acanthoscelides obtectus, Acanthoscelides obtectus, Hylotrupes bajulus, Agelastica alni, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Phaedon cochleariae, Diabrotica spp., Psylliodes chrysocephala, Epilachna varivestis, Atomaria spp., Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Antho nomus spp., Sitophilus spp., Otiorrhynchus sulcatus, Cosmopolites sordidus, Ceuthorrhynchus assimilis, Hypera postica, Dermestes spp., Trogoderma spp., Anthrenus spp., Attagenus spp., Lyctus spp., Meligethes aeneus, Ptinus spp., Niptus hololeucus, Gibbium psylloides, Tribolium spp., Tenebrio molitor, Agriotes spp., Conoderus spp., Melolontha melolontha, Amphimallon solstitialis, Costelytra zealandica, Oulema oryzae, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus. 
From the order of the Hymenoptera, for example, Diprion spp., Hoplocampa spp., Lasius spp., Monomorium pharaonis, Vespa spp.
From the order of the Diptera, for example, Aedes spp., Anopheles spp., Culex spp., Drosophila melanogaster, Musca spp., Fannia spp., Calliphora erythrocephala, Lucilia spp., Chrysomyia spp., Cuterebra spp., Gastrophilus spp., Hyppobosca spp., Liriomyza spp., Stomoxys spp., Oestrus spp., Hypoderma spp., Tabanus spp., Tannia spp., Bibio hortulanus, Oscinella frit, Phorbia spp., Pegomyia hyoscyami, Ceratitis capitata, Dacus oleae, Tipula paludosa. 
From the order of the Siphonaptera, for example, Xenopsylla cheopis, Ceratophyllus spp.
From the order of the Arachnida, for example, Scorpio maurus, Latrodectus mactans. 
From the order of the Acarina, for example, Acarus siro, Argas spp., Ornithodoros spp., Dermanyssus gallinae, Eriophyes ribis, Phyllocoptruta oleivora, Boophilus spp., Rhipicephalus spp., Amblyomma spp., Hyalomma spp., Ixodes spp., Psoroptes spp., Chorioptes spp., Sarcoptes spp., Tarsonemus spp., Bryobia praetiosa, Panonychus spp., Tetranychus spp.
On soil application, the spinosyns are distinguished by a potent insecticidal activity against the abovementioned pests.
Insects which can preferably be controlled with the aid of the treatment according to the invention are those of the following orders:
soil-dwelling insects: Diptera (for example the frit-fly, wheat-bulb fly), Coleoptera (for example Diabrotica (wire worm), Lepidoptera (for example dart moth), Blattophtheroidea, Myriopoda.
Leaf insects: Aphidina, Coleoptera, Brachycera, Lepidotera, Homoptera, Tysanoptera, Aleurodina, Cicadina, Acasi, Cossina, Heteroptera.